


Tantibus

by starrwinter



Category: Starfighter (Comic)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-10
Updated: 2014-07-19
Packaged: 2018-01-01 03:01:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1039559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrwinter/pseuds/starrwinter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Who says weapons have to be physical?  What if the space shipyard is just a distraction from their true weapons/secret plans? (Build and they will come... closer)</p><p>------------</p><p>First crack at Starfighter fanfiction, but please don't be gentle.  Criticism welcome (only way to get better!) Inspired by tons of the Starfighter fanfiction writers here, but dedicated to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/users/asocialconstruct/pseuds/asocialconstruct">asocialconstruct</a> for getting me hooked on it and leading me to this wonderful archive page in the first place.</p><p>Will be part of a multi-chapter fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Tantibus

Panic was the first thought to cross my mind. Huffing, short of breath, mind-numbing panic. Sweat dripping off my forehead. Hands shaking so hard I couldn't pull the triggers on either side of my seat. Then I heard it... the same heart heart-churning scream that echoed in my mind every night this week. The smell of blood and scent of burning electronics and then... I wake up.

 

\------------

  **Abel**

Every night. Every fucking night this week. For weeks we have been sleeping together, legs and arms slung over sweaty sedated bodies after an evening of sex. One way I thought was helping to keep both of our demons at bay. Boy was I wrong...

It seemed to be around 3am he would just wake up screaming. A fighter, tough as nails and always telling me to, "suck it up princess," would wake up thrashing and screaming worse than a two year old girl in a thunderstorm.

Guess we all have our demons deep down that sometimes escape their iron prisons.

"Ugh, Cain, again? What is wrong?" after being woken for the seventh night in a row. He would normally just brush it off. Tell me to go back to sleep even though I knew he wouldn't try to fall asleep again the entire night.

His answer surprised me, "Nightmare. They're getting worse and I know now I'm not the only one..." he mumbled. "Not the only one... what do you mean?" I replied.

"Deimos. He looked like hell froze over today in training so I asked, jokingly, if he was having nightmares keeping him awake. The look I received back and small nod was all I needed to see." he sighed. "I then scanned around the room and everyone seemed slower, clumsier than normal. Even Encke looked like he was ready to pass out after only a few laps in PT."

It was then I saw the bags under his eyes and lines, holy hell, wrinkles forming on his forehead and around his eyes.

"What do you think is causing it?" I wondered chewing my lip.

"Don't know princess, but whatever it is isn't natural if all of the fighters are being affected." We stayed like that for a few moments.

Tense stares and clicking gears like we could possibly fit all of the pieces together. Well if I could in theory make an entire ship disappear in battle, what other technology was out there we didn't know about...


	2. Quies ante Tempestatem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm blaming (okay not blaming... loving) the lovely Hamlet Machine for this chapter after Chapter 3 - Page 83 O_______O
> 
> I wanted to add a steamy scene before things became dark/menacing/serious.
> 
> Cain POV will also be seen soon!

 

**Chapter 2**

**Abel  
**

7am comes far too early. Early training, simulations and trying to keep the lack of sleep from showing before lunch. I punch the wall alarm in frustration from last night and the interrupted sleep.

Cain stirs beside me. It appears he at least may have snuck in a few minutes of sleep. That, or he's really good at pretending to be asleep and then waking up.

"Shower?" Cain purrs. Just too damn irrestible for his own good. "Can't. Need to grab some food before Keeler has me rack my brain all morning. That and sims this afternoon..."

Of course he wasn't having of that. Snuck up on me without even a sound. "Come on babe, just five minutes..." as he sucked on my ear. Warm, wet, hot... my thought processes pretty much melted at that point.

"Fuck it!" I turned around locking his lips with mine in a brutal kiss. Nipping at his upper lip and tongues warring together as he pushed me towards the bathroom.

A hand slid up my spine, leaving light marks of where his fingers had trailed. My shirt mysteriously disppeared soon afterwards. It still amazes me how he can do that, but again practice makes perfect.

I struck first moving down towards his collarbone trailing a line of light kisses which turned to sucking, bite marks and finally bruises. He was having none of that.

Cain pushed me up against the wall, as he pulled and threw his tank across the room in the action. "Oh god," was all I could gasp out as our chests collided with one another. Heat, sweat and just the warmth of two bodies rubbing together.

He was just as hard as I was. Our erections brushing together through fabric as we ground together. Fighting for control with tongues and teeth. Holding my head tilted up at angle with a fist in my hair.

We both couldn't take it any longer and parted huffing and trying to gather a breath. "Ummm..." he moaned as his mouth traveled down tugging at the waistband of my pants and blowing hot air over my erection.

Cain was painfully slow undoing my pant buttons. Purposely flicking a couple of fingers over my hard shaft. I chanced a look down and saw his trademark smirk staring up at me in return.

"Oh..." was all I could sneak out before he was on me again. With a sudden jerk my pants were around my ankles. Cock hard against the cold draft in the room just begging to be touched.

Hot heat enveloped me. All tongue, just enough pressure with a hint of teeth. Cain swallowed all the way to the hilt, sucking and humming along my shaft. Licking down to my balls sucking on one, and then the other in turn along with the sensitive skin in between.

"Cain, please just fuck me," I moaned. As much as I would love to just stay locked up in the room all day with him, I'd be forced to stay late running the boring equations and battle formations if Keeler caught me instead of my engine configurations.

A shiver went through me as coldness met skin. Cain slowly stretched me, first with one finger then adding a second and finally a third. I moaned again sucking Cain's ear lobe then earring, begging him to hurry without having to ask again.

"Fuck, Abel, you drive me crazy," he whispered against my ear while pushing both of us up against the wall and lifting up my right leg to snake around his waist.

I sucked in a breath. Anticipation... of the pain, then the pleasure and just the want and need spread throughout my body.

Then I looked straight into his eyes and all I saw was want; no the need. He always had the same look just after climbing out of the Reliant. Strange how the sensation of the kill and the lust of sex could be connected with one feeling and look. Then Cain was pushing inside, stretching and filling in a slow and delicious pace just how he knew I loved and hated all at the same time.

Heat followed by blush flooded through my cheeks and my cock twitched involentarily as Cain sped up the pace. "Ah, fuck Cain..." was all he could get out before my lips were claimed again. I tightened the hold around Cain's waist with the raised leg and fisted a hand in his hair.

Cain lightly ran his fingers over my chin and chest while gripping a free leg. Suddenly he grabbed my hand that was in his hair and held it fast against the wall. He broke the kiss, breath coming in pants and heaves before the smirk returned.

A distraction; he moved so quickly that I barely had time to react as he twisted me around so I was facing the wall. Both feet now on the ground, he was still deep inside of me.

"Spread them," he growled low in his throat holding my hands in place above my head. A tremor ran through my body complying with Cain's demand.

Compliance was rewarded with a hot kiss at the nape of my neck starting at the hairline slowly following the curve of my spine. Nips alternating with light bites as Cain worked his way down the body.

Cain started moving again, thrusting deeper and faster upwards to hit my prostate with every stroke. He moved his mouth back to the juncture of my neck and shoulder blade, sucking hard enough to leave a bruise on one of the most sensitive parts of my body

It didn't take long and I was coming spraying against the wall in a sudden pulse and tightening like a vise around Cain.

"Fuck Abel, I'm going to come..." Cain bit through his lips a second before releasing deep inside. Hot pulse after pulse as he collapsed boneless onto my back and slipped out. Time always flying too fast and I could never get enough of him.

"I really didn't want to before, but now I actually need a shower and can't because I am going to be late!" I scolded and reached back to lightly smack Cain on the head.

I reached down and reluctantly retrieved my pants from the floor and tried my best to look at least a fraction presentable. "Should have enough time to grab a coffee..." I thought before noticing the mess.

"If it's not too much trouble, you should clean this up," I smirked at Cain before dashing out the door. I narrowly escaped a pillow hitting the wall on the way out.

 

\--------------------------------------

Nothing however could have prepared me for how the afternoon turned out...


	3. Experior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay in between posting chapters! Abel and Cain POV this time. Starting to get a bit more into the meat of the story and hopefully will have more posted by the end of the week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I blame (okay not really blame... it was just too distracting) [The Iron Arc (Gundam Wing)](http://archiveofourown.org/works/602820/chapters/1086697) on eating up my reading/writing time. It is LONG... if you decide to read it you may need to devote a week to get through it, but it is WORTH it! Then read The Road Trip arc ;)

**Abel**

"It's looking good, sir," I replied to Keeler just finishing running the latest engine configuration. I had been put in charge of the latest round of testing after the Reliant's last battle although no one was sure what had caused the ship to mysteriously vanish.

"You've worked hard this morning, Abel. You'd better get running if you want to make your simulation time," Keeler said as he shooed me out of the lab.

So close and yet so far from finding the answer how to help all of the pilots and ships gain new advantages and abilities.

"Thanks sir," I said rushing out the door. I had five minutes to make it to the simulations room on level five which didn't leave much time. Should have enough data gathered tomorrow to test number forty-six and forty-seven... My thoughts drifted while reaching the elevator to descend to the correct floor.

A group of four fighters pushed out of the elevator at the same time I was trying to climb on. "Did you hear Achilles, freaking out in the simulator?" one of them gloated. "Crying like a little baby and freaking out every round. Didn't even last two seconds before being blown up by a Colteron..." The snickering fading as they sauntered down the hall way.

Someone breaks down eventually, I considered. They end up thinking about home... family... friends... Better get off those thoughts he corrected himself quickly. "No, I will not be treading that narrow path today," he gritted through his teeth. He had a job to do and on that list was making sure they stayed on top of the rankings.

With Cain barely getting any sleep it was making it more difficult everyday to give the extra effort to avoid a slip up. Cain hated showing any weakness and I would give any extra effort necessary to mask that for him. A little lag on the left side here... a bit too slow of a reaction time there might eventually mean both of them would be dead.

DING! The elevator beep roused me out of the daydream. "Time to get my head back in the game," I whispered.

As the door opened after the hatch release was lifted, I rounded the corner and spotted Cain leaning against the corridor wall. Smoking of course, trying to take the edge off before having to run through several simulator rounds.

"You're late princess," he glared. Not that Cain could talk. He was never one for being punctual himself.

"Blame Keeler," I growled. "Always one more run of a reading or configuration." I dislike having to use him as an excuse, but better to be a few minutes late to a battle simulation test than dead when an engine failed.

Cain just huffed and tossed his cigarette butt in the corner. "Come on let's get this over with babe. I have about another two hours of training to look forward to once we're done," he glared.

"Always a charmer.." I smirked. Pissing him off just a little before a test was always the best thing to do. Pumps the adrenaline and sharpens the mind. His breathing increased just a little and nostrils flared, but then his own smirk returned. "Careful what you wish for or you'll see how 'charming' I can be later," he warned.

Cain pushed up off the wall and started strutting towards the simulator room. He always acted so differently here trying to mask just how much he was being affected. I wondered how much they're all being affected before it faded to a wisp of a memory.

 

Time to focus....

 

\---------------------

**Cain**

 

"Have to keep it together. Just two more runs," escaped softly through gritted teeth. My vision was blurry, hands shaky and reaction time slowing... but I wouldn't break.

Thanking whatever power was out there, Abel was sure doing a bang up job masking my mistakes. He was just having to work too hard. Always had to be a second ahead of my slowness. The triggers were starting to feel heavy under hand.

"One more run, Abel." I had barely hit the last ship. If it wasn't for Abel's skill and speed they wouldn't even have made it past the second run.

I swiped a bead of sweat off my brow. Hopefully wasn't coming down with something, although maybe that would explain the slowness, dizziness and weakness that had been running its course the past week.

"Cain!" Abel warned just a split second too late. He felt it... last night's dream melding with reality. Hands like lead freezing on the controls. A tremor ran through my body and all I could hear was clicking... humans... weak... cowards.

The proximity alerts flared in front and around on the displays. I registered the warning and then the 'failed mission' message before letting out an ear-piercing scream. My vision faded to grey at the edges then solid black as I passed out cold.


	4. Infirmitas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry again for the long delay (too many things going on!) but finally had time to write last night and the inspiration bug hit. Perhaps the Valentines Day update sparked it ;)

**Cain**

Waking up with a splitting headache had sadly become routine. Warm, too warm and stifling. This was partly due to the fact I was still fully dressed minus my boots, and the other due to Abel being spooned to my side.

His head was tucked under my ear, humming a tune softly and running his fingers lightly through my unruly bangs. His fingers brushed down and circled my ear before our gazes met.

"How are you feeling, Cain?" His eyes held worry, thankfulness and another emotion I just couldn't read. I thought I knew all of them by now.

"Like the hatch of the ship dropped square on my head," I hissed. I tried to think what we had been doing earlier in the day and froze. I remembered the failed simulator mission and then wondered how I had managed to be back in our room.

"Encke and a couple other fighters brought you back here," Abel sighed reading my mind. His hands slipped down to mine running through my palms and fingers; a nervous twitch.

"What is on your mind, Abel?" I asked him point blank. He seemed to be mulling his thoughts over something at full speed. His eyes were half closed, chewing on his lip and his breathing was coming out in small puffs.

"I've just been thinking it's more than a coincidence a good portion of the fighters on the ship are all having the same symptoms. Nightmares, headaches, fainting... it just seems off." Abel was like a dog with a bone once he got going - just couldn't let it go.

"I'm fine now." I had to try and soothe him, make him think it really wasn't affecting me that badly. "You shouldn't be staying here coddling me when you have work to do," I scolded.

"Actually I don't. They pretty much told everyone to take it easy for the rest of the day while they tried to figure the source of this illness out."  His eyes suddenly widened and I knew that look anywhere. "Go, I'll be fine for a few hours," I chuckled.

He got up without another word off the bed. The wheels already spinning in his head and calculations starting to form.

I was putting all of my hope on Abel to solve this puzzle. Otherwise how could I fight... how could any of us continue to fight I realized suddenly.

Without fighters to help defend the ships, how could we continue to battle.

I groaned and rolled over in bed. Chucking off clothing and covering back up in the thin blanket I shivered slightly. I really hope Abel and the other navigators could solve this before drifting off into another round of restless sleep.

 

 --------------------------------

**Abel**

I had an idea... a bit of a crazy idea but anything at this point was better than nothing. We're fucked if the fighters could no longer protect the ships. Defenceless, helpless besides being able to run away from a fight... and I was not going down that way.

I checked the scanners again. I had made my way to the research lab where everyone had already turned in for the night at Keeler's orders. I just couldn't let this mystery go.

The lab had dozens of different sensors and instruments. Many for reading Colteron transmissions, translating and scrambling generators. Others for checking radiation and other levels while travelling in space.

Watching the changing screens, I was running passes for different radiation levels and frequencies and finding nothing. No radiation levels not at normal limits. No hits on the communication transmitters either.

I just let my head hang in my hands. "It is hopeless," I growled out loud. I was staring at the cracks in the sterile while floor drawing my gaze to the navigation orb in the corner of the room. The start-up screens glowed in the dim lighting waiting for a navigator's settings and input.

I can't let it end like this. There has to be some way to find out what is happening and stop it.

"Wait a minute..."it clicked. Remembering a program running on late night television from Earth. It was very old and called "Ghost Hunters" or some garbage like that. I really didn't know if I believed ghosts were real or not. If they were - the ship was probably crawling with them after all the death it had seen.

The device they had used during one episode was for detecting white noise. Pretty much combining a whole range of frequencies together to see if any ghostly voices could be heard.

I shrugged, worth a try anyways. Calibrating the machine only took a few minutes and soon it was sweeping a range of frequencies recording each for playback later.

Killing time while the machine went to work, I noticed my bangs were getting long and in my face as I ran a hand through them. Cain always said he would be willing to cut my hair and I perhaps should take him up on the offer. He knew it was a death sentence though if I ended up with horrible sideburns or a mullet.

A ringing alarm drew my attention. I turned to see what, if anything, the machine scanners had picked up. I wasn't prepared for the results.

I knew it was the Colteron language the first moment I heard it. Sounding demanding, ordering and commanding. I broke out into a cold sweat immediately.

So it was a Colteron weapon causing the fighters symptoms. But where was it coming from? How do we stop it? What about the fighters themselves...

Physically ill is how I felt at the moment, but at least we had a chance. I sprinted off down to the corridor to Central Command in search of anyone at this hour still up to hear my grim findings.

 

"We'll find a way. We always do, or I'll die trying..."


	5. Mendacium

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're starting to get back story now in Chapter 4, and this fits in perfectly with the current stages of this fic. Hopefully will be writing more quickly before the story changes and we find out more variables.... 
> 
> The Abel kidnapping factor is not a part of this story since it started back in November prior to that craziness starting ;)

 

Running into Command Central, I stopped short coming right into the middle of a heated discussion. Cook, Bering, Keeler and Encke along with their assistants were arguing throwing pointed gestures and heated words at each other across the room.

"How do we not know what is going on!" Encke bellowed throwing his gaze and posture forward at Bering and Cook in turn. "Encke, just calm down," Keeler tried to pacify his fighter.

Encke crossed his arms and handed Keeler a blank stare. They had about one minute I estimated before he took control of the situation in a way besides hurried words and hand gestures. Keeler threw a heated glance at him, while Cook's attention had turned to the door at my sudden entrance.

"Abel, what in the world are you doing in here at this hour?" Cook glared. Keeler just looked surprised, while Encke and Bering kept their neutral and slightly pissed off expressions.

"I was running tests in the research labs..." Cook raised an eyebrow, slightly furious that I had disobeyed a direct order to stay confined in quarters for the night. I swallowed and continued, "...when I ran into an interesting transmission."

Encke took a step forward his interest now piqued and pissed off mood slowly waning. I looked square at him and responded, "I know there is something odd going on with the fighters, which is why you are all here 'discussing strategy' and have everyone on lock down."

I slowly met all of their eyes around the room running from the concerned, to the shocked, to the pissed off. "I discovered something tonight which I believe is a clue to the weird behavior going on around the ship."

"Well spill it already! Every second more we just stand around is another the Colterons get the jump on us!" Bering barked. I jumped a little in surprise before replying, "I started by scanning individual frequencies finding nothing... but then I used multiple frequencies and layered them together and I'm not sure 'what' they are saying, but it is Colteron in nature." I shivered remembering the transmission from inside the Reliant during the last mission.

I glanced up noticing the shocked looks around the room. I continued, "I'm not sure why it only seems to be affecting fighters and not navigators, but we need to find the source of the transmissions to put an end to it before they can carry out their plans..."

"Keeler, gather your best transmissions and translations experts together and tackle those signals at the lab. We need to find out their source and what exact they are sending," Cook interrupted. "Yes, sir," Keeler saluted being almost sprinting out the door with his assistant trailing not far behind.

Cook turned his attention back to me evaluating and appraising what he saw. "What made you think to run through all of the frequencies and band them together?" he questioned.

"A very old vid program I remember watching..." I trailed off not wanting to get into the embarrassing specifics of why I had tried that particular plan. Out of desperation and just pure luck working in my favor.

"Doesn't matter, we at least now have a chance at figuring out what the hell is going on around here," Encke growled looking over at Bering and Cook in turn before turning his attention back to me. He saw the questions lurking behind my eyes and jutted his chin up waiting for them.

"The only thing is once we figure out the source of the transmissions, how in the hell are we going to deal with them? None of the fighters are in any shape to pilot right now based on the simulations this afternoon," I stared back at Encke not quite able to piece the solution together myself.

"We hadn't thought of that," Bering growled in frustration. "We could, in theory, see if any navigators could take over a fighters position in the ship, but it is going to be very difficult. Not a lot of time for training, and we'll have to pick the best candidate," as his eyes trailed over to Cook. They both stared at each other passing secret information through their gazes.

An uneasy feeling settled in stomach. They knew something about the ship disappearing that I didn't, and for the mission to work we needed to know all of the variables.

"Sirs, what are you not telling me about the last mission and the Reliant?" I asked almost on the edge of ordering. "There was a malfunction and Can and I somehow escaped a situation where we should have died, and I need to know how." I stood my ground, crossing my arms and smelling the feeling of apprehension in the room.

Bering looked at the floor for a few seconds before meeting eyes with Cook across the room. He sighed loudly before meeting my gaze again.

"The engine you've been working on in the Reliant is hybrid technology, something we've been working on for a while through different missions and test crews. Your last mission is the first time it has successfully been activated. It's called a 'jump drive' and is driven by a peculiar aspect while in battle..." Bering trailed off looking again at Cook and his questioning raised eyebrow. He was wondering just how much he should go into.

"You might as well give me the whole story, sir. If we can't fix this problem then we're all as good as dead anyways," I shrugged. I wasn't looking forward to hearing the rest of the information as intuition was a good indicator of the truth Bering was about to release.

Bering sighed again before continuing. "You have to understand son, this is a war we are fighting and sometimes a mission requires certain sacrifices and commands to be made... it's main drive being the emotions of the pilots..." and everything suddenly snapped into place.

Cain and I being assigned together, the scar, our first night after the mission and him keeping away and threatening any other fighters... this was part of his mission. Seducing me, winning over my trust and loyalty, putting my life on the line... hell... even loving Cain was all part of 'orders.'

I felt the bile at the back of my throat being lead along this whole time. Infuriated that they would do all of this just to test out their invention. The other half of me was disgusted at Cain. Was he just leading me on this entire time? Did he feel anything at all, or was this just part of orders and he was promised a sweet promotion at the end? My shoulders tensed in anger and I gritted my teeth together in frustration.

"Abel, the main point is that the technology worked and this is exactly the edge that we need to get the jump and defeat the Colterons," Cook pleaded. Hell, when did he ever concerned over anything, but he could tell just how upset I was over the whole situation.

"Go and get some rest, Abel," he ordered pointing at the door. "Encke and Bering, you need to make a list of the most talented fighters that you think could be patient enough to train navigators in the least amount of time..." I didn't hear them anymore turning on my heel and out the exit doors.

One mission was on my mind, finding out just how deep of a lie Cain had pulled me into since day one.


	6. Officium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the extremely long delay between chapters! No excuses, just work to be done moving forward and getting this story told!

My feet were two heavy lead bars as I was slowly being pulled back to the shared room with Cain. Into the elevator which would deliver me to our floor, still not knowing how to deal with or broach with the boiling anger in my heart.

I had been betrayed and felt like the veins of my heart were slowly leaking out of my chest, being pulled apart by sharp talons and leaking life force out into the elevator. It was a good thing Cain was not able to fly at the moment, because I would have refused. I would have stood my ground on the hanger floor and stared Cain directly in the eye daring him to make me fly the Reliant. Teeth clenched, oozing pain and ice shards behind my eyes.

The elevator came to a stop on level three around the same time all the lead moved from my feet to the bottom of my stomach. "How am I going to be able to look Cain in the face?" I hesitated leaving, anger slowly changing to a slice of fear how thing would change my relationship with Cain. He was the strongest anchor I had on the ship at the moment, and the rust was slowly taking over loosening its hold on our bond.

I closed my eyes, counted to ten slowly, exhaled and then I steadied myself to face Cain. It could end in a bitter fight, a brawl knowing him or maybe... just maybe he had a valid reason for his actions. The little slice I had set aside for that hope glowed a little brighter giving me the courage to finally step out of the elevator towards our room.

Now or never. I squared my shoulders and swiftly closed the distance to room 314. I stopped in front of the keypad and entered in the security code 2-2-4-2-3-5 with trembling fingers before the airlock swished open. I unsure if it was more fear or anger having hold at this point.

I advanced into the dimly lit room, the only light coming from the head which I had forgotten to turn off in my haste. I searched for Cain and found him still in the same spot as when I had left. Curled around himself under the thin blanket, shivering, already in the throes of another nightmare. Suddenly he was fighting and clawing at an invisible enemy in his sleep. I could see the layer of sweat on his forehead and neck. He probably had been fighting in his sleep since I had left - suddenly I didn't feel quite as distraught anymore.

They were getting worse... he was really struggling with it this time and even his breathing was affected sounding like he was gasping for air while being suffocated slowly. No matter how distraught I was with him and the shady plans with Bering, letting someone suffer like this was below me. Even if I was still trembling with rage after finding out the real truth behind our partnership.

"Cain, you need to wake up!" I shoved at his shoulder lightly at first as he continued to thrash and twist himself deeper into the sheets. The pushes became harder and more urgent as he just wouldn't snap out of his deep all-encasing nightmare. "Cain, you have to snap out of this! It's just a dream!" I pleaded holding back tears. He was really scaring me. We didn't know the power these dreams were having over the fighters and what type of damage it could be doing mentally and physically to their bodies at this point. "Please just wake up..." I quietly pleaded running my hands up from Cain's shoulders to fist in the soft hair at his temple.

That seemed to do it and he stopped fighting, struggling and screaming and just froze. His muscles clenched like an elastic being stretched to the limit, his hands reached up to where mine were connected in his hair before he let out an ear-piercing scream of pain... "ABEL, FUCK... NO!"

He immediately shot up in bed, sweat running down his brow and eyes locked in an expression of pure terror, dread and panic all rolled into one. Cain stared forward, unblinking until he finally caught sight of me in his peripheral vision. His expression instantly changed from horror to pure relief. He reached forward and crushed me into his chest with an unspoken promise of never wanting to let go.

I thought hard about the news Bering and Cook had let slip earlier in the night, and decided to keep it buried for now. I did not have to fly with Cain at the moment, and we would have a long discussion before I would ever get back into a starfighter with him, but for now this is what we both needed.

I was too sore and raw to fight anymore tonight. Too emotionally drained to have a heated debate about the secrets and lies that had been kept masked for so many months. I tried to push back against his strong hold, but he only crushed tighter.

"Thought I had lost you..." he barely whispered above the background hums of the ship. Everything clicked into place with his latest nightmare, he dreamed something had happened to me, to us, possibly the Reliant. No one could be that heartless and pretend to embody those emotions without feeling a trace of something.

Was it just orders from a higher command keeping him bound to my side and to the strings of my heart. Was he just a puppeteer masterfully guiding my strings until victory had been achieved. I flashed back to his expression after the nightmare and his desperate hold now and knew not everything could be true. The truth would come out, but now was not the time or place.

"Cain you're going to end up crushing my lungs at this rate," I half-heartedly complained gently pushing against his hold. He finally relented , stealing one last inhale and soft squeeze before pulling away. I looked into his eyes and still could see traces of his terror staring back at me, while he could also feel something had changed as well.

"Abel... what happened with your research at the lab," he withdrew slowly. He had suddenly switched gears to on guard almost if he could see Bering's face releasing his secret within my own.

I decided to focus on the facts first. "I believe I found the source of the nightmares you've all been suffering through," and Cain's face and posture changed to one of hope. "The Colterons have been sending out strange transmissions layered over multiple sets of frequencies, this is what I think has been causing all of your symptoms."

I noticed stray tuffs of his hair and bangs sticking up from his disturbed sleep and reached forward to smooth them down, allowing the pads of my fingers to trail over his cheeks, jaw line and neck before lodging in the scruff at his neck.

"You really did it princess," he almost purred. His eyes reflecting back hope, while I was still dealing with the remaining aftershocks of pain and the lies between our partnership. Cain slightly shifted, he noticed and was about to speak when the door message chime sounded.

"Ugh, computer who is it at this hour?" Cain growled out over the annoying noise meant to wake someone up even if sleeping. "Lieutenants Encke and Keeler at the door," it softly replied back.

We both turned at stared at each other not wanting to move from our safe nest, but again when was it really safe anymore with the internal conflict from within. "Coming..." Cain trailed off, pushing up from the lower bunk to stalk towards the door. He firmly pushed the open release button and stood back just a little, spilling the hallway light into the room.

"Ah, Cain just the person I need to see," Encke stated simply. "I know it's late, but I do not know how much time we have left to make a stand before it is too late. I need you to come with me now to help with some training for the navigators." Encke's gaze moved away from Cain and settled on me. He nodded once in a gesture of understanding. Cain looked at this little exchange with a reaction of surprise.

"Abel, you'll have to come too," Keeler stated in his most soothing of voices. He could have avoided using it as I knew all of the background information of why we were being pulled into training in the middle of the night, but I did wonder why they were picking me for this training.

It was obvious I would be the pilot for whatever crazy, suicidal mission was looming on the horizon. I could activate the jump-drive when others had failed... so why bother pulling me into this training at all.

Keeler caught my distant gaze, almost if he was reading my thoughts and responded, "we never know just where we're meant to fit in until pushed to the limit." I was puzzled but nodded back in a show of understanding.

Cain and Encke traded puzzled looks of their own. Cain briefly headed back into the room to shuck on his jacket and boots before returning to the door.

Our gazes met briefly and I could feel his questions brimming below the surface while he could clearly see the last trimmings of anger in mine. We looked back at Encke and Keeler and started to follow them down into the belly of the ship and the testing that would decide the next course of action against the Colterons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The number sequence used stands for something... ;)


End file.
